Brock Posted October 28, 2010 Report Share Posted October 28, 2010 James MacArthur of Hawaii Five-O fame, son of Helen Hayes, ex-husband of Joyce Bulifant, has died at 72: LOS ANGELES – Stage and screen actor James MacArthur, who played "Danno" in the original version of television's "Hawaii Five-0," died Thursday at age 72. MacArthur's agent, Richard Lewis, said the actor died in Florida of "natural causes," but no direct cause was specified. In a career that spanned more than four decades, MacArthur was most recognized for his role as Detective Danny "Danno" Williams on "Hawaii Five-0," which aired from 1968 to 1980. Episodes often ended with detective Steve McGarret, the lead character, uttering what became a pop culture catch phrase: "Book 'em, Danno." Jack Lord, who starred as McGarret, died in 1998. MacArthur quit the role of McGarret's sidekick a year before the program's final season. "Quite frankly, I grew bored," he explained on his website. "The stories became more bland and predictable and presented less and less challenge to me as an actor." "Hawaii Five-O," one of the longest running crime shows in TV history with 278 episodes, was shot on location in the Hawaiian islands. It was the first Hawaii-based national TV series. The drama has been remade by CBS with a new cast this season. MacArthur, born Dec. 8, 1937, seemed destined to become an actor. He was the adopted son of playwright Charles MacArthur and Helen Hayes, an award-winning actress often referred to as "First Lady of the American Theatre." Silent film star Lillian Gish was his godmother. "They did teach me a lot about the theatre just through my life with them," he said of his parents in a 1957 interview in Teen Life magazine. "They never pushed me in any direction. Any major decision has always been my own to make." James MacArthur made his stage debut at age 8 in a summer stock production of "The Corn is Green." His breakout role was in the 1957 "Climax!" television series production of "The Young Stranger," in which he starred as the 17-year-old son of a movie executive who has a run-in with the law. He entered Harvard that same year, but dropped out in his sophomore year to pursue an acting career. As a young actor, MacArthur appeared in the Walt Disney movies "Kidnapped," "Third Man on the Mountain," "Swiss Family Robinson" and "The Light in the Forest." He also had roles in "The Interns, "Spencer's Mountain," "Battle of the Bulge" and "Hang 'Em High," as well as many guest roles on TV series such as "Gunsmoke." He performed in many stage plays, including the lead role of Hildy Johnson in a 1981 production of "The Front Page," which was co-written by his father in the late 1920s, at the Stanford Community Theatre in Palo Alto, Calif. His live acting career won him the 1961 Theatre World Award for best new actor for his performance in "Invitation to a March." MacArthur said that one of his favorite "Hawaii Five-O" episodes was a 1975 segment called "Retire in Sunny Hawaii Forever" because it marked one of the rare times that he worked on screen with his mother. Hayes played Danno's Aunt Clara, who visits Hawaii and helps the detectives solve a murder. Asked by the Hawaii Star Bulletin newspaper in 2003 about his fondest memories about working on "Hawaii Five-O," MacArthur replied: "Living in Hawaii." http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101028/ap_en_ot/us_obit_macarthur Huh. Until I read his obit for some reason I thought Jack Lord was still alive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C L A U D E Posted October 29, 2010 Report Share Posted October 29, 2010 James MacArthur of Hawaii Five-O fame, son of Helen Hayes, ex-husband of Joyce Bulifant, has died at 72: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101028/ap_en_ot/us_obit_macarthur Huh. Until I read his obit for some reason I thought Jack Lord was still alive. So did I, i think that's pretty young to die of natural causes. I always liked James, sorry to hear he left us so soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C L A U D E Posted October 29, 2010 Report Share Posted October 29, 2010 His mom was Helen Hayes, right? Sorry, just reread the obit thoroughly and see that he was her adopted son. His dad was the dummy Charley MacArthur, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeySanJoaquin Posted October 30, 2010 Report Share Posted October 30, 2010 His mom was Helen Hayes, right? Sorry, just reread the obit thoroughly and see that he was her adopted son. His dad was the dummy Charley MacArthur, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PuttyNose Posted November 6, 2010 Report Share Posted November 6, 2010 Wow...how did I miss this? I didn't hear anything about James MacArthur's death on TV. I used to have a big crush on him. I didn't know he was married to Joyce Bullifant. I'm beginning to think that she was married to every single male 70's tv actor! He was also married to Melody Patterson of F-Troop. Used to have a major crush on James and also Jack Lord when I was young teen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeySanJoaquin Posted November 6, 2010 Report Share Posted November 6, 2010 Seems like Joyce Bulifant was married to tons of folks!! Bill Asher is another prominent ex of hers....lord knows how many others there are! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryCarter Posted November 6, 2010 Report Share Posted November 6, 2010 Joyce Bulifant is now married to Desilu Revuer Roger Perry, who was previously married to Jo Anne Worley. Talk about opposite wives. Do you think he can hear Joyce's whispery voice after being married to Jo Anne Worley for 25 years? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C L A U D E Posted November 6, 2010 Report Share Posted November 6, 2010 Joyce Bulifant is now married to Desilu Revuer Roger Perry, who was previously married to Jo Anne Worley. Talk about opposite wives. Do you think he can hear Joyce's whispery voice after being married to Jo Anne Worley for 25 years? LOL! Hey, he COULD have married Georgia Engel and thought he was going deaf. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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